Sleep
by Arkadie
Summary: Some sleep. Some have revelations.


Gentle caresses are not really The Doctor's thing but when it comes down to Clara, it means everything. He places his hands on the side of her face, as she cries, holding on to the lapels of his jacket. Wiping tears away, as new ones roll down her cheeks, she quirks a smile, and he can't help but smile back.

"You're going to be okay. I promise." he tells her, counting the lashes on her eyelids.

She looks up and nods, "I can't believe that dream did that to me. I never scream bloody murder like that, I'm sorry." she tells him.

The Doctor kisses her forehead gently, lingering more than he should, and his hearts start to beat a little faster. "Don't be sorry, I'm right here. If you need anything." he lets go of her, getting up, making her bed creak.

"I don't want you to leave me, Doctor." her head falls onto her pillow, "Please stay with me for tonight."

His eyebrows raise, "You want me to sleep with you?" his hands twitching, he's nervous. "Like how is that supposed to make you feel better? I'm more long limbed now." he emphasizes with his body.

She smiles at him, patting the room next her, "Lay here."

He nods, pulling off his jacket, shoes, and lays next to her.

They are facing each other, and there is this calmness that Clara hasn't felt in a while, and she thinks that The Doctor can sense it too. It's always hard to run away from things that are life changing. She's a teacher, has kids to take care of, grades to do. She opens her mouth to speak but the Doctor goes first.

"Clara, I was thinking maybe we should go out." he swallows, "Not on a date, but like a breakfast thing. Just us friends." he scans her face, waiting for a reaction, and she nods. "We need this, Clara. Just a simple thing. No running away, it's time to grow up." he breathes out, closing his eyes.

His last words struck her, "I'm already grown up, Doctor. I have my place, kids to take care of."

"Not your kids, other kids, Clara. You don't have to take care of them." he rolls onto his back. Fingers splaying onto his stomach. "I'm not trying to sound cold, or anything, but…" he doesn't finish, he exhales a breath and fiddles with his hands.

Her eyebrows narrow, "It's what I do, Doctor. I love taking care of kids, teaching them, and all of that." realisation hits her. "You think it's taking away our time together?" she asks.

He looks away from her now, clenching his teeth, he looks upset, "No." he firmly says, he's careful. She knows that he is lying through his teeth, "I feel we are more separated than together. It's just how I feel."

"We are together."

Her response made the Doctor turn towards her, blinking away tears that were never meant to be shed. He really looks at her now, and his hearts do that skip that make him want to do things that he should act on. He restrains him self. That's his problem, maybe Clara wants this reaction from him. Make him feel what she felt from the previous incarnation.

"Are you sure, Clara?" his jaw tightens, he's sitting up from his elbows now, looking at her. "Are you really sure we are together?" he repeats himself, wanting to believe that they are.

"Why would you think that we would be separated then?" she looks at him in the eyes, daring him, waiting for his next move, but he's calm, or looks it. Impatience hits her, and she held his hand, "Because this, what I am doing right now, holding your hand, is all I want to do. I want to take care of my kids, and hold your hand. This is what I want."

The Doctor leans down, placing a soft kiss on her right cheek, "Your probably not making any sense, you're sleep deprived." he pulls away, laying down back on he pillow.

She mumbles a word, closing her eyes, feeling his hand wrapped around in hers. She feels safe, comfortable, and happy.

The next day, The Doctor never tells her that she feels like home, that every wisp of her hair reminds him of Gallifrey on the fields that he used to run into. Brown, with a tint of red, colours that she wears, and holds. He tells her that he loves her, and she already knows. Together. Is all they need.


End file.
